Troyes has suspended four of their players and issued lifetime bans to nine supporters following the chaotic scenes that caused their clash against Valenciennes to be abandoned.
Earlier this month, the match was halted in the 89th minute with the score tied at 1-1 due to the behaviour of a section of the home supporters who resorted to throwing flares and smoke bombs onto the pitch. As a result, officials were left with no choice but to abandon the game prematurely.
In a statement, Troyes condemned the actions of the minority of supporters responsible for the disruption, saying “the identities of these individuals have also been passed on to the police authorities, who will determine whether they will be prosecuted”.
Troyes also expressed disappointment over the actions of four players who allegedly responded by throwing smoke bombs into the stands. Despite the reported provocations, the club deemed their reactions as dangerous and opted to impose precautionary suspensions on the individuals involved.
❌ Les images folles de l’interruption du match entre l’@estac_officiel et @VAFC ! #Ligue2KBT pic.twitter.com/hhpCcKhnVh
— Prime Video Sport France (@PVSportFR) May 3, 2024
Following an “internal investigation”, they said: “The throwing of pyrotechnic devices onto the pitch by ticket holders is considered by the club to be a dangerous and irresponsible act. These acts have no place in our sport.
“We have examined the CCTV footage and have identified nine individuals, who will now have their season tickets cancelled and a maximum ban imposed on their access to the stadium.
“In addition, we were disappointed to see four players send some smoke bombs from the pitch into the stands. Despite multiple provocations, it is clear that their reactions were also dangerous. These players have now been given precautionary suspension.”
They added that Troyes “condemns all forms of aggression and violence — and we will continue to take steps to ensure that our stadium and ground are safe environments for all our players and supporters”.
Troyes — owned by the City Football Group (CFG) — are on the brink of their second successive relegation, lying in 17th place and seven points from safety with three games remaining.
They were bought by CFG in September 2020 but despite promotion to Ligue 1 in the 2020-21 season, their results on the pitch have suffered in the past two campaigns.
Established in 2013, the CFG is predominantly owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family and the vice president of the United Arab Emirates. They own 12 other clubs, including Manchester City, Spanish side Girona and New York City of MLS.
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